But those players who were notified — and this must certainly include A-Rod and Manny Ramirez, as well as Ortiz — aren’t stupid and presumably know that once made aware they were on a federally seized doping list that they did something suspicious and perhaps, illegal. The question is, since 96 of the 104 names on “The List” were steroid-injected players, according to the New York Daily News, could Ortiz be one of the eight players who got caught using an illegal supplement instead of sticking a needle in his ass? That would make news of his illegal drug use much easier to swallow, and look more like J.C. Romero than Jose Canseco (who, for what it's worth correctly predicted months ago that Manny would be on “The List”).
Big Papi is a player with immense integrity. But now it is in question. Therefore, if Ortiz truly has nothing to hide, as he said a few days ago, he will come clean with what exactly it was he tested positive for in 2003. It may be a struggle getting his individual test result from the feds since “The List” is in its (and not the MLBPA’s) hands, but he needs to either find a way to get it soon or give the public his best memory of what he took that put him on a doping list with 100 other players.
And, he certainly has to explain his connection to Felix Leopoldo Marquez, a reportedly “close friend and [formerly] personal assistant” to him who openly discussed and admitted steroid use with Jared Remy. He is the son of the beloved former Sox second baseman and NESN broadcaster Jerry Remy who was one of two security guards fired by the Sox last summer because of steroid use.
Whatever the truth about Ortiz's past turns out to be, the longer he waits to explain himself, the more of a distraction this whole issue will become for him and his teammates in this, the heart of a tight playoff race. He, and the Red Sox can ill afford such an off-the-field controversy to linger on and on.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Martinez was quite a snag. Although now this means Jason Varitek has to wear Doug Mirabelli's jersey.